CNN Poll: 4 out of 5 Americans Saw Trump Speech as ‘Positive’

Jim Lo Scalzo / AFP / Getty1 Mar 2017

A CNN poll of Americans who watched President Donald Trump’s first address to a joint session of Congress on Tuesday evening showed that nearly four out of five had a “positive reaction” to the speech.

The survey, conducted among 509 respondents with a 4.5% margin of error, showed that 57% had a “very positive” reaction to the speech, while 21% had a “somewhat positive” reaction, adding up to 78% “positive” overall. Only 21% of those who watched the speech had a “negative” reaction.

In addition, 69% of viewers thought that the speech “would move the country in the right direction,” while only 26% said it would move the country “in the wrong direction.” Prior to the speech, 58% said they expected the speech to move the country in the right direction, meaning that the speech had a positive impact on viewers. In addition, 69% said that the speech made then more optimistic about the country, while only 28% said it made them more pessimistic.

On specific issues, Trump scored the highest marks for his proposed policies on the economy, with 72% saying those went in the right direction. Almost as many, 70%, said the same about his terrorism proposals. Slightly fewer, but still a majority, felt his policies on taxes (64%), immigration (62%) or health care (61%) were heading in the right direction.

Ideologically, about two-thirds saw Trump’s speech as about right, while roughly on-quarter (26%) pegged it as too conservative. Just 8% said it wasn’t conservative enough.

The numbers, CNN said, were similar to those of similar president. The poll sample was more Republican than the country in general by 8%, due to the inherent bias of viewers who identified themselves beforehand as interested in watching the speech.